diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/stream_list.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/stream_list.js
index a8a6d2ccc6..f3f3295be6 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/stream_list.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/stream_list.js
@@ -481,6 +481,12 @@ function initialize_stream_data() {
         container_height: 10,
     }));
 
+    assert.equal(0, stream_list.scroll_delta({
+        elem_top: -5,
+        elem_bottom: 15,
+        container_height: 10,
+    }));
+
     // The top is offscreen.
     assert.equal(-3, stream_list.scroll_delta({
         elem_top: -3,
@@ -494,6 +500,12 @@ function initialize_stream_data() {
         container_height: 10,
     }));
 
+    assert.equal(-11, stream_list.scroll_delta({
+        elem_top: -150,
+        elem_bottom: -1,
+        container_height: 10,
+    }));
+
     // The bottom is offscreen.
     assert.equal(3, stream_list.scroll_delta({
         elem_top: 7,
@@ -507,4 +519,10 @@ function initialize_stream_data() {
         container_height: 10,
     }));
 
+    assert.equal(11, stream_list.scroll_delta({
+        elem_top: 11,
+        elem_bottom: 99,
+        container_height: 10,
+    }));
+
 }());
diff --git a/static/js/stream_list.js b/static/js/stream_list.js
index 989917cb51..198abbd6c7 100644
--- a/static/js/stream_list.js
+++ b/static/js/stream_list.js
@@ -616,10 +616,18 @@ exports.scroll_delta = function (opts) {
     var delta = 0;
 
     if (elem_top < 0) {
-        delta = elem_top;
+        delta = Math.max(
+            elem_top,
+            elem_bottom - container_height
+        );
+        delta = Math.min(0, delta);
     } else {
         if (elem_bottom > container_height) {
-            delta = elem_bottom - container_height;
+            delta = Math.min(
+                elem_top,
+                elem_bottom - container_height
+            );
+            delta = Math.max(0, delta);
         }
     }